RichardIII1955 - Angelo's in some deep, deep shit! And you know what Mercutio's like!
Oh no! What's Angelo done? Or has he been set up? And how will Rosaline and Gabriel react to it?
Also, I don't know what happens when you get suspended from work. So, I just made Angelo and Escalus' conversation up. And two characters called Theobald and Ricardo are mentioned. They're not mine - they're Cornadopia's. Read her stories, they're really good!
Angelo was unable to move. He was speechless.
"I didn't do it," he choked out.
Escalus sighed, "I'm sorry, Angelo, but we're going to have to suspend you."
"Suspend me? But I have to win this upcoming election! I need to be here for the wedding! Who will lead my party?"
"They'll choose to someone to act in your place. Just for now"
Angelo shook his head again, "I don't understand. I'd never...I'd never sexually harass someone. I'd never act in a way someone else would find threatening. If they asked me to stop, I would. I don't even recall saying more than a word to her at a time...don't do this, Escalus, it's not fair!"
"I'm sorry, Angelo," Escalus repeated. His cold composure slackened, and he lowered his voice, "When they first brought me the complaint, I had to admit, I doubted it. Maybe this is just a remark gone wrong. Maybe you and Miss Montague can settle this out of court, but it's just, the law requires me to suspend you, with immediate effect, until I can resolve it. Whether or not I'll have to take it to court, I don't know yet, but I have to investigate it. Don't worry about your work here, your party will cover for you. We'll be able to cope with the wedding on our own. And look, it probably won't be for long, most likely you'll be back in a few weeks. It just gives us time to arrange an investigation, which probably won't come to anything, and then it'll all be fine again."
Angelo groaned softly.
"And if I were you," added Escalus, "I'd tell your friends and family before anyone else can, so they hear your side of the story. I'll do my best to keep this confidential, but I can't promise that. People talk, you know how it is. Just in case of anything, let them hear the story from you first."
"I'll tell my brother and my children tonight," decided Angelo, although he knew that was a task easier said than done. Rosaline would be disgusted. But Gabriel would be the worst. He had always accused Angelo of being a womanizer and a perv.
Oh, Jesus. His ex wives. If Camilla found out, she'd soon be negotiating a kiss-and-tell deal with the press, and then he'd be in ruins. This would be her revenge for his affair and subsequent estrangement from his daughters, even though she had enforced it in the first place. No one would ever vote for him again. His political career would be over. He'd faced enough scandal to destroy it already. He was so, so lucky, to be where he was right now.
And if Camilla wasn't bad enough, then the wrath of Lina might be. Lina was Gabriel's mother, who he'd left Camilla to marry and raise his son with. And by god, did the brat take after her. Selfish, whiny, and unable to see the bigger picture.
At least Mariana would keep her mouth shut. She wasn't his ex wife, she was only his ex fiancé, which Angelo was grateful for. He had become engaged to her over five years ago, when Gabriel was thirteen or fourteen. Gabriel had hated her on sight, and did everything in his power to drive her out, in which he had prevailed. Angelo had to give him that. Gabriel had been resourceful, sly, and cunning, traits which Angelo liked to admire in himself. If only that boy could have put them to use, instead of being a bloody ballerina...
Back in the privacy of his office, Angelo pulled out a cardboard box, and began to stash away his personal belongings. At least, if he was suspended, he'd be able to stay at home before and after the biopsy to prepare and recuperate.
The biopsy. Angelo's heart beat wildly. Involuntarily, he crossed his legs and shuddered. Oh, why him, why now? Why did this all have to happen now?
"I thought you might want some help packing."
Angelo glanced up. Amparo's black clad figure lounged in the doorway.
"I'm fine, thanks," he muttered.
"Are you sure?" she raised her eyebrows, "After all, you've been here five years. All that work...and now you've got to fit it into one cardboard box."
"I'm nearly done," Angelo almost snapped. He scooped up the box, and began to walk out the room. He turned back to look at her, "What time does Gabriel get home?"
"Usually after eleven, but before midnight," replied Amparo, "Why's that?"
"I need to talk to him. I need to tell him something. Can I nip into his dressing room before the show?"
"You could, but I wouldn't if I were you."
"Why's that?"
"Well, you wouldn't want him getting all upset before the show, would you?"
"Wait..." Angelo frowned, "You know?"
Amparo smiled, "Yes, Angelo, I know. I was the first person Isabella came too."
"This is supposed to be confidential!" cried Angelo.
"Oh, you needn't worry. We're only women. We only talk to each other," Amparo sauntered off, and Angelo was left to carry the box out to his car.
"Bye Angelo!" shouted Mercutio, leaning out the window, "Are you going on holiday?"
"If only," muttered Angelo.
Gabriel patted the white powder over his shoulder. He was finished, and so he sat down and began to draw his beak on his forehead. The door knocked. He glanced down, noticing that he was only wearing his dance belt. He didn't want to disrupt the white powder by throwing a dressing gown over himself, so he called out.
"Who is it?"
"Amparo."
"Come in!" called Gabriel, comfortable with her seeing him in his state of undress. He didn't turn to greet her, concentrating on drawing the lines of his beak, but smiled at her in the large mirror, "You brought my little angelcakes!"
"Here he is," Amparo waved Alexei's little chubby fist at him.
"This is a surprise," said Gabriel, colouring in his beak.
"I've come to tell you something," said Amparo.
"What is it?"
"At first, I didn't want to tell you, I didn't want to worry you or hurt your feelings, or anything, especially not now, whilst you're so busy, trying to be a dad to Alexei and the star of a show..."
"What?" repeated Gabriel, frowning.
"A few weeks ago, my friend Isabella came to me. She had something to tell me. Something about Angelo"
"What about him?"
"Isabella said," Amparo paused artfully "Are you sure you want to know? You're going onstage in less than half an hour"
Gabriel stopped painting his beak, and swivelled around, "What is it? Tell me!"
"She said," Amparo took a breath "She said Angelo had been sexually harassing her."
"He WHAT!" shrieked Gabriel.
Alexei wailed as Gabriel seethed.
"The...bastard!" spat Gabriel, "How could he do that? The arrogant, stuck-up, womanizing...urgh!"
He grabbed the pot of black paint and threw at the mirror. It smashed and the black liquid oozed down the mirror like black blood. Amparo blinked, and rocked Alexei.
"Sorry, Amparo, I just..." Gabriel trailed off. The door knocked, and someone called for him.
"I'm not even dressed," Gabriel stood upright, and pulled his feathered trousers on over his dance belt, "I'm about to go onstage and I hear about this? Urgh! Angelo, he just has a funny way of ruining my life no matter what he does! How am I supposed to dance, to give my body over to the music and the rhythm, when I'm all stressed out about knowing this?"
"I'm sorry," said Amparo, although she was no,t "I just felt you ought to know."
"No, I don't blame you," said Gabriel, adjusting his costume and putting some last minute touches to his make-up. His eyes were lined with black and grey eyeliner, so they stood out from under all the white powder. He breathed out deeply, trying to gather a hold of himself. Amparo knew he wouldn't. Gabriel was dictated by his emotions.
"I'll see you after the show," he kissed her, and then kissed Alexei's blond head, "I'll come and give you a cuddle afterwards, angelcakes."
He left, and Amparo sat down in Gabriel's chair, with Alexei on her lap. Gabriel was so useful, and he played right into her hands every time. Even so, she felt a little bad. She had come to care for him. He had many faults, and many reasons to be disliked, but what she found beneath she could admire. Who else dedicated their nights to learning languages so that they could converse with their fans? Who else survived and survived against their obstacles? In nineteen years, the boy had coped with the loss of his mother, an unhappy childhood, isolation and contempt from his peers, and homelessness, just to name a few.
She glanced down at Alexei.
"Ah, Alexei. Angelcakes. You've got no idea, have you? You've got absolutely no idea..."
"Oi! Ros!" hollered Tybalt, pounding on the door.
"What!" shouted Rosaline, as she bent over her feet.
"Guess what Uncle Egues has just told me!"
"Whatever it is, I don't care. I'm cutting my toenails, it can wait!"
"It's about your dad!" Tybalt shouted again.
"What about him?"
"He's been hit by a truck!"
"What?" repeated Rosaline, putting down her clippers and opening the door, "Are you being serious?"
"Yeah!" Tybalt nodded. He sat down on the bed, "He's been suspended."
"Suspended? Why?" gaped Rosaline.
"Because apparently, he sexually harassed Isabella Montague," Tybalt rolled his eyes, ignoring Rosaline's gasps, "Although, to be honest, that cow is so frigid even so much as a wolf-whistle would classify as assault in her book."
"Tybalt, that is not funny!" scolded Rosaline, "No one is frigid for refusing sex, and assault of any kind is not in the least bit funny. What did Uncle Egues say to you?"
"Just that Angelo had been suspended this afternoon when we were rehearsing Mercutio's stupid panto...tell me, Ros, why did we let ourselves get roped into it?"
"Because you were drunk and said you'd be Jesus, and I thought I may as well join in if Theobald and Ricardo were going to be the Sheriff's Evil Crew. Someone needs to be around to tell those two what to do."
Tybalt gave a 'tsk' of laughter. Rosaline shook her head, and bent back over, now filling her nails. But her mind was whirring. Her father? Do something like...that?
"So what's the plan?" asked Tybalt.
"What plan?"
"We always have a plan."
"Well, I am going to ring Angelo and hear what he has to say for himself," replied Rosaline, brushing away the dust, "You are going to leave me in peace."
"But Ros - owww!"
Tybalt broke off in a squeal of pain after Rosaline twisted his arm back and shoved him out the room. Alone once again, she picked up the telephone and dialled Angelo's number.
Angelo had been sitting with a glass of wine in one hand, and a cigarette in another. When the phone rang, he stubbed out his cigarette and picked up the phone.
"You've been suspended," stated Rosaline, coldly.
"I can explain..." Angelo began.
"Tybalt's already told me it all"
"I never said a word to her. This is just her being over the top. If she said to stop, I would have done. You have to believe me. You, of all people..."
"I don't know what to believe! On one hand, the Montagues have been my enemy-"
"Tybalt's enemies," scoffed Angelo.
"Which makes them mine as well," said Rosaline fiercely, "And on the other hand, I have spent half my childhood listening to mum make allegations of your constant womanizing and Gabriel say more of the same. I don't think I want to hear your excuses."
"It's not an excuse, it's a reason! It's my defence! I'm innocent!" protested Angelo.
Rosaline hung up. Angelo gawped at the phone. Within minutes, it rung again. Angelo picked it up.
"YOU!" screamed Gabriel.
"What is it, Gabriel?"
"You're a pervert!" screeched Gabriel.
"I am not!" Angelo protested once again.
"And you're a life-ruiner," Gabriel howled.
"What else have I not done?"
"You made me ruin my show! I couldn't dance properly, because of you!"
"Oh, what a pity. I'm sure the world with never be the same," snapped Angelo sarcastically.
"Amparo came and told me before the show. She told me what you'd done. I hate men like you, they give the rest of us a bad name! How DARE you!"
"I didn't do it, Gabe."
"And don't call me Gabe! Or I'll cut you," threatened Gabriel.
"A likely threat," scorned Angelo, "Hear me out. I didn't do anything she accused me of. Isabella came to use the photocopier, and left within five minutes. I left too. I left the palace entirely. Five minutes was hardly enough time to...to sexually harass someone."
"Well, where did you go?"
"Out," replied Angelo, "To lunch. And the dentist."
"You went the week before."
"How would you know?" spat Angelo, "I barely even speak to you. I can't say I want to. And I've only seen Alexei once."
"And that's the last time you'll ever see him! I won't have for him a pervert for a grandfather!" Gabriel seethed, "Oooh, you just wait until I get my hands on you!"
"And what will you do?" taunted Angelo, well and truly losing it, "Bitch-slap me? You know I can knock you down. I'm taller and stronger than you are. You've never been able to fight me. Well, you have, but you've never been able to win. I can pin you within minutes. You're pathetic."
Gabriel was speechless.
"At least I'm not a sick perv! I can't wait to sell scandalous stories about you to the press! I'm going to tell them everything. I'm going to tell them about Camilla, my mother, Mariana, and then," Gabriel seethed, "I'm going to play my trump card. I'll tell them all about Michael! Then you can kiss goodbye to your remaining conservative voters!"
"You dare," hissed Angelo, "And I'll tell the press you're a psychological bully who manipulated his way to the top by bumping off better dancers."
"Good. Everyone loves scandal in the ballet world. You, however, are dead and your career is finished!"
